The present invention relates to a writing implement or the like which has a pen element that feeds and retains ink from the writing implement body, and more detailedly, the present invention is generally directed to liquid writing implements and the like of types which are referred to as paint markers, oil-based markers, water-based markers and high lighter pens.
Conventionally known liquid writing implements and the like in which ink is fed from the writing implement body to the pen element as a pen point, include: for example, 1) writing implement having an ink absorbing element for retaining ink, connected to the rear end of the pen point; 2) writing implement in which a valve structure is provided between the pen point and the ink chamber and the valve structure is released when the pen point is moved whilst being pressed; 3) writing implement having a valve structure which is released by clicking the rear end; 4) writing implement in which a plug element and valve element advancing fluid-tightly is arranged in the ink chamber and ink is fed when the valve element is slightly released by negative pressure arising during writing; and 5) writing implement having ink retainer (collector member) with many fins provided between the pen point and the ink chamber.
Nevertheless, when a line having a large line width is drawn from the left to right by the right hand using any of these liquid writing implements and others, the pen element as the pen point is thick so that the right side of the pen element is kept out of view, causing inconvenience in distinguishing the right end of the drawn line.
This is quite true when a table is drawn by ruling on simili paper etc., or when characters of a horizontally written article are traced by a highlighter pen etc. In order to deal with this inconvenience, some may draw a line from the right to left others may draw lines holding the writing implement in an awkward manner, as shown in FIG. 22(a). However, since these are not the natural way of using a writing implement, the user will feel uncomfortableness and will receive an oppressive burden on the fingers. FIG. 22(b) shows the natural way of gripping a pen while writing.
The problem of inconvenience arising when designating the right end of a line is liable to occur more markedly with a pen having a writing point that produces drawn lines of 2 mm wide or more. Though the above problem is unlikely to occur when drawing at a writing angle of 45 degrees or smaller, writing at a small writing angle will cause difficulties when writing near the user""s body. This difficulty is more marked especially when the pen is used in a relatively narrow space such as in the train, airplane and the like. The above difficulties cannot be simply attributed to the shape of the writing point.
The similar problems occur with a pen of a type shown in FIG. 23 (e.g., Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Sho 56 No. 140485) where a writing implement 3 has a pen tip 1 bent with respect to a barrel 2. That is, with a large writing angle, the opposite side of the pen cannot be seen, whereas with a small writing angle, writing is difficult in some configurations near the user""s body through the other side can be seen.
With a calligraphic-brush pen as well as a writing implement having a flexible pen tip with its thickness variable as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open Sho 54 No. 33731, if more than a certain degree of writing load is applied, the other side of the pen can be seen, but there is a drawback in that lines with a constant drawn line width cannot be obtained.
Further, among the writing implements having a split pen point with an ink guide slit such as fountain pens, various types of pens having a bent pen point have been known as in disclosed by Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Sho 48 No. 51427, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Sho 49 No. 15023, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Hei 3 No. 29390 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 9 No. 52486. However, the main object of these writing implements is to vary the width of drawn lines like the aforementioned calligraphic-brush pen. A writing implement of an open-V shape has the same drawbacks as writing implement 3 with pen tip 1 and barrel 2 bent, shown in FIG. 23. Since the writing angle of the split pen point is constrained not only with respect to the pen tip direction but also to the lateral direction, a pen of this type is not suitable for drawing lines.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a writing implement which has a pen element that feeds and retains ink from the writing implement body and allows easy observation of the view of the opposite side of the pen element as the pen point and easy distinction of the end point of a drawn line.
In view of the above conventional problems and in order to solve these problems, the present inventors have found that the aimed writing implement having a pen element that feeds and retains ink from the writing implement body can be obtained by configuring the pen element with a specific structure, thus completing the present invention.
Specifically, the present invention has the following features (1) to (8).
A (1) writing implement having a pen element that feeds and retains ink from the writing implement body, characterized in that the pen element comprises: an ink leader portion; a writing part delivering ink from the ink leader portion; and a viewer portion disposed directly above with respect to the axial direction of the writing part allowing observation of the view in the writing direction.
(2) The writing implement defined as above in (1), wherein the writing part of the pen element renders drawn lines of 2 mm or wider.
(4) The writing implement defined as above in (1) or (2), wherein the ink leader portion and writing part of the pen element is formed of a one-piece porous member.
(5) The writing implement defined as above in (1) or (2), wherein the pen element further comprises a support member for supporting the ink leader portion and writing part, and at least part of the support member allows observation of the view in the writing direction, providing the function of the viewer portion.
(7) The writing implement defined as above in (1), wherein the viewer portion is formed of a lens member.
(8) The writing implement defined as above in (1), wherein the ink contains a fluorescent color additive.